The present invention relates to an apparatus for installing tire chains.
When accumulations of snow or mud are encountered on a highway, truck drivers have an option of placing tire chains on the tires of their vehicles to improve tire traction. However, the process of placing tire chains onto vehicular tires in the snow or mud is such an unpleasant and time consuming task, that many truck drivers don""t bother or unnecessarily delay placing tire chains on their tires. Accidents are occurring that could have been avoided had tire chains been installed in a timely fashion. If there was an apparatus that made it easier and faster to install tire chains, there would be less resistance by truck drivers to the early installation of tire chains.
What is required is an apparatus for installing tire chains that will facilitate faster and easier installation.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for installing tire chains includes a support and a spool rotatably mounted to the support for rotation about a rotational axis. Means is provided for attaching the support to a vehicle. Means is provided for securing a tire chain to the spool. When the spool rotates in a first direction the tire chain is wound onto the spool. When the spool is rotated in a second direction tire chain is fed from the spool. Means is provided for selectively rotating the spool in the first direction.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for installing tire chains. A first step involves providing a support with a spool rotatably mounted to the support for rotation about a rotational axis. A second step involves attaching the support to a vehicle adjacent to a tire with the rotational axis of the spool in parallel spaced relation to the rotational axis of the tire. A third step involves providing a tire chain having a first end and a second end. A fourth step involves detachably securing a first end of the tire chain to the spool. When the spool rotates in a first direction the tire chain is wound onto the spool. When the spool is rotated in a second direction tire chain is fed from the spool. A fifth step involves securing the second end of the tire chain to a tire, such that, as the tire rotates, the spool rotates in the second direction and tire chain is drawn from the spool and wrapped around the tire.
According to a final aspect of the present invention there is provided a combination that includes a vehicle equipped with the apparatus described above. The vehicle has tires with each of the tires being rotatably mounted tires for rotation a rotational axis. A support is provided having a spool rotatably mounted to the support for rotation about a rotational axis. The support is mounted to the vehicle adjacent to one of the tires with the rotational axis of the spool in parallel spaced relation to the rotational axis of the tire. A tire chain is provided having a first end and a second end. The first end is detachably secured to the spool. When the spool rotates in a first direction the tire chain is wound onto the spool and when the spool is rotated in a second direction tire chain is fed from the spool. Means is provided for detachably securing the second end of the tire chain to a tire. Means is provided for selectively rotating the spool in the first direction.
According to the various aspects of the invention described above, tire chain is wound onto or fed from the spool. Once the basic teachings of the invention are understood there are various refinements that can be added to enhance performance. A locking mechanism can be added to lock the spool to the support in a selected rotational position, and thereby prevent tire chain from inadvertently being fed from the spool. There are various configurations of locking mechanism that are workable. Beneficial results have been obtained through the use of a ratchet gear and a locking member that engages the ratchet gear.
There are various means by which tire chain may be secured to the spool. Beneficial results have been obtained when the spool has a central shaft with several hooks that serve as means for detachably securing the first end of the tire chain to the spool. Similarly, there are various means by which one could selectively rotate the spool in the first direction. Beneficial results have been obtained through the use of torsion spring. Other mechanism, such as a simple external crank, could also be used.
There are various means for securing tire chain onto a tire. A choker chain form of attachment is commonly used in the industry. Choker chains cannot be used with some dual wheel configurations, as there is insufficient clearance. To address this problem an alternative attachment device was specifically developed as part of the present invention for use with dual wheels. This attachment device is a generally xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d shaped member consisting of two pivotally connected bodies. Each of the bodies has a main shaft with a first end and a second end. The main shafts are pivotally secured in parallel spaced relation by at least one band. Arms project outwardly from the first end of each main shaft. Feet project outwardly from the second end of each main shaft in parallel spaced relation to the arms. Loops are positioned at spaced intervals along the arms and serve as means for attaching tire chains to the xe2x80x9cTxe2x80x9d shaped member. With a single tire, the use of a choker chain with clips is preferred.
Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the invention, as described above, there unavoidably remains the need to initially attach the second end of the tire chain to the tire. It has been determined that this job is becomes much easier when the vehicle has pivotally mounted fenders. The fenders pivot out of the way to provide better access to the tires when securing the second end of the tire chain to the tires.